Examples of data storage components include components of hard disk drive systems (HDDs). HDDs include one or more magnetic data storage disks. HDDs are data storage devices that include one or more rotatable disks to which data is written and read by way of one or more transducing heads. A transducing head carried by a slider assembly near the disk is used to read from or write to data tracks on the magnetic disk while the disk spins. The slider assembly includes a transducing read head, a transducing write head, or both, along with a “slider element” that includes a surface that faces the spinning disk and acts as an “air bearing” relative to the spinning disk to permit smaller fly heights and close slider proximity to the disk surfaces.
Air bearing sliders have been extensively used in disc drives to appropriately position a transducing head above a rotating disc. In most high capacity storage applications, when the disc is at rest, the air bearing slider is in contact with the disc. During operation, the disc rotates at high speeds, which generates a wind of air immediately adjacent the flat surface of the disc. The wind acts upon the lower air bearing surface of the slider and generates a lift force directing the slider away from the disc and against a load beam causing the slider to fly at an ultra-low fly height above the disc. A slider is typically mounted on a gimbal and load beam assembly which biases the slider toward the rotating disc, providing a preload force opposite to the lift force acting on the air bearing surface of the slider. For the slider to maintain the ultra-low flying height above the surface of the disc, the lift force must be balanced with (and greater than) the preload forces.
The present disclosure relates to a slider having a configuration for reduction of active pressure in the advanced air bearing feature.